We switched to metal roofing about five years ago, and honestly, it's been pretty great for ice dams. Snow slides off easily, sometimes almost too easily—had to install snow guards above our walkway after a mini-avalanche nearly took out the mailbox, lol. Cost-wise, yeah, it's pricier upfront, but considering durability and lower maintenance, it balances out over time. If you're already sealing and insulating properly, metal roofing could be a solid next step.
Yeah, metal roofs seem pretty solid overall. We went with metal last year, and I've noticed the same thing with snow sliding off—it's great for preventing ice dams, but man, those sudden snow dumps can catch you off guard. One thing I'd add is the noise factor during heavy rain or hail. Personally, I kinda like the sound, but my wife finds it distracting at night. Just something else to consider if you're sensitive to noise.
Did you guys notice any difference with insulation or indoor temps after switching to metal? We did a metal roof a couple years back, and while the snow sliding off was definitely a plus, I found our attic space got noticeably warmer in summer. Ended up having to upgrade insulation and ventilation to balance things out. Wondering if anyone else had a similar experience or if it was just our setup...?
We noticed something similar when we switched to a standing seam metal roof about five years ago. Initially, I assumed the reflective nature of metal would actually help keep things cooler during summer months, but we experienced the opposite—our attic definitely felt hotter, especially on sunny days. After some research, it turned out our older attic ventilation setup wasn't quite adequate for the new roofing material. We ended up installing ridge vents and improving soffit venting, which made a noticeable difference.
Upgrading insulation also helped stabilize indoor temperatures, so your experience makes sense to me. Sounds like you tackled it correctly by addressing both insulation and ventilation. Every home has unique factors like roof pitch, attic design, and local climate, so it's not unusual that experiences differ. But overall, I'd say your situation isn't uncommon at all... metal roofs can be fantastic long-term investments, but they often require adjustments in ventilation strategy to achieve optimal comfort indoors.
Your experience sounds pretty familiar, actually. I've worked on a few projects where homeowners switched to metal roofs and ran into similar surprises. Metal roofs are great in theory—reflective, durable, all that good stuff—but they're definitely not a "set it and forget it" solution. Ventilation is key, and older homes especially weren't originally designed with metal roofing in mind.
Glad you figured out the ridge vents and soffit improvements; those usually do the trick. I had one client whose attic was basically an oven after installing metal roofing, and once we sorted out proper airflow, it cooled down significantly. Insulation upgrades can also make a huge difference, as you found out.
Every home is different, so it's always a bit of trial and error getting the balance right between insulation, ventilation, and roofing materials. Sounds like you're on the right track now though... good job sorting it out!
